Pakistan Air Force puts up spectacular air show to kick off 2025 Champions Trophy before PAK vs NZ match in Karachi [Watch]

Ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy opener between Pakistan and New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday, February 19, the Pakistan Air Force put up a spectacular air show to kick off the marquee ICC event.

The air show was delivered by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Sherdil Squadron at the venue itself, marking the beginning of the 2025 Champions Trophy. The PAF's aerobatic display with the green and white colours symbolised Pakistan's flag colors.

Two special Pakistani-made aircrafts, JF-17 Thunder and F-16 fighter jets, also joined in on the air show in Karachi. The show took place right before the action kick-started and as players from both teams took the ground.

Here's the video of the air show:

Pakistan and New Zealand are placed in Group A alongside Bangladesh and India. Australia, South Africa, England, and Afghanistan make the other group. The Champions Trophy was last held in 2017 in England and Pakistan are the defending champions.

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ICC event returns to Pakistan with 2025 Champions Trophy after nearly three decades

The last time Pakistan hosted an ICC event was way back in 1996, when they were co-hosts of the ODI World Cup. They were slated to host the 2009 Champions Trophy but were stripped of it after a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore the very same year. The tournament was shifted to South Africa.

Pakistan failed to gain the rights to co-host the 2011 World Cup as well, which was jointly held in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.

After a long gap of nearly three decades, an ICC event has returned to Pakistan with the 2025 Champions Trophy. The National Stadium in Karachi, the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore, and the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi are the three venues slated to host matches of the marquee ICC event in Pakistan.

However, not all games will be played in Pakistan as India will play their matches in Dubai after refusing to travel to the host nation.